Douglas County, Nebraska

PROBLEM

Douglas County, Nebraska, which includes the city of Omaha, has over 190,000 parcels, each with an assessment value assigned to it by the County Tax Assessor. This information needs to be distributed to the public as efficiently as possible.

SOLUTION

The main goal of the project was to provide automated access from multiple sites, with robust ownership information data easily searchable - including name, assessment values, and images, among other things.

RESULTS

A land owner, realtor, banker or anyone else can now use the interface, relieving the County Assessment office from providing parcel assessment values over the phone or face-to-face. The public also has the ability to calculate sales comparisons using numerous search criteria.

"We have received a lot of good comments from the public....and I know we will get more compliments as the new changes are found out about. I think it is one of the best websites I have seen....Great Job Everyone!"

United States Army Corps of Engineers

PROBLEM

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) requested a solution to help manage activities at the 19,800-acre Former Sioux Army Depot (FSAD) facility located in Sydney, Neb. In addition to standard geographic information systems (GIS) tools and functionality, they required the ability to enter, query and view collected environmental data from soil, groundwater and surface samplings, and the functionality to locate, enter and display locations of unexploded ordinance (UXO).

SOLUTION

ADC began the consultation process with a document that outlined the structure, data, format, and functionality of the final system, including an implementation plan. Once the data was converted and organized, the database format determined, then configured and modified to accommodate additional load.

RESULTS

Users can now view environmental sampling locations, select a location to see sampling information, query the environmental database, input new sampling information into the database, and display, enter and query UXO locations. To accommodate the number of photos collected on site, a photo loader tool was developed for assigning photos to locations on the base, automatically filing the photos and associated information in the database, and searching the photos within the database.

Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District

PROBLEM

The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (CNPPID) is responsible for providing irrigation water to over 105,000 acres, electricity generation, flood control, recreational services on more than 26 lakes, and providing and maintaining the lakeshores for over 1,100 private homes and cabins on six lakes. They needed efficiency in managing their services - the integration of their current accounting system with a newly designed GIS database, and to link both databases to their spatial data.

SOLUTION

ADC designed and created a brand new GIS database to hold a variety of spatial information about land parcels, permits, violations, and other information necessary for state required reports. The GIS data was structured and organized per their integration and functionality requirements.

RESULTS

Now CNPPID is able to quickly access multiple layers of information through the GIS system, quickly and easily - be it pointing and clicking, or robust input, search, and zoom tools. Their information retrieval and management process has been immensely streamlined.

Burnett County Land & Water Conservation Department

PROBLEM

The Burnett County Land & Water Conservation Department has a number of lake watershed management projects designed to evaluate and reduce the pollutant loads to the lakes. Determining best management practices (BMPs) helps combat phosphorus delivery, one of the most important issues facing their lakes. Burnett County needed to evaluate the efficacy of their BMPs.

SOLUTION

The project included an evaluation of available models, development of lake and land use maps for the project areas, development of a GIS user interface to run the model, and an evaluation of model results. For this project, the US-EPA Phosphorus Coefficient Model was selected. The model was fully integrated, and land use data was created. An easy-to use graphical user interface was then developed to make use of the digital data as well as user input values for remaining model parameters.

RESULTS

The interface allows users to change land use values within the drainage area and immediately calculate the resulting estimated phosphorus delivery. In addition, model runs can be sent to an ArcView layout and printed for future reference or planning.

Barron County Land Information Office

PROBLEM

The Barron County Land Information Office had been pursuing a program of land record modernization and GIS integration. ADC has worked with the county from the start, providing the full gamut of GIS-related services, from needs assessment to application and data development. This time, Barron County needed to convert and update many township map files, attributed with a parcel number, and finally have them linked to the county tax and assessment database.

SOLUTION

ADC created the proper files from existing data and documents, as well as with information available after linking to the county tax database. ADC also constructed an end user tool for evaluation of existing map files, and then updates them automatically. Throughout the process, ADC assisted the county in a number of other areas such as the projection and processing of data, and consulted on development of automated tools to simplify user interaction between the digital data and the tax and assessment database.

RESULTS

As Barron County updated their workflows and operational processes for this project, ADC facilitated that by updating, automating, and streamlining the tools they use, helping get their technology current. As a longtime and ongoing partner, Barron County turns to ADC first when a new project or need arises.

Washington County, Nebraska

PROBLEM

Washington County, Neb. was seeking to modernize and implement a geographic information system (GIS) solution to provide better inter-government collaboration. In addition, converting and creating parcels was needed to provide accurate and updated layers for the new system.

SOLUTION

ADC converted the County’s parcels from AutoCAD files, incorporated parcels from the City of Blair, and the remainder of the County’s parcels were scanned and digitized. ADC also linked the attributed parcel layer to the County Assessor’s TerraScan database.

RESULTS

Further, ADC developed and integrated basic GIS layers into a preliminary GIS system for use throughout the County’s departments. These basic layers were procured from outside sources or created by ADC, and include road centerlines, hydrology, registered wells, fire districts, school districts and SIDs.

Elite Logistics in Denver, CO

PROBLEM

Elite Logistics, a driver staffing firm, was looking for the ability to effectively track delivery of products in a cost efficient manner. With the help of Applied Data Consultants, they developed an affordable solution for real-time tracking and routing of deliveries. While there were other commercial solutions available, they were cumbersome to use and were cost prohibitive for this small, but growing firm.

SOLUTION

With input from Elite Logistics and other driver staffing firms, ADC developed Elite EXTRA, a web-based, interactive delivery tracking system, continually utilizing the latest technology. EXTRA provides visibility the moment an order is placed, all the way through delivery. Meanwhile, EXTRA simplifies and automates many dispatch and delivery operations, that were previously manual or cumbersome.

RESULTS

EXTRA streamlined the dispatch and delivery workflows for Elite Logistics, while giving them 360 degree visibility. The number of drivers and dispatchers needed for deliveries was reduced, while allowing them to pack more stops into current runs - cutting costs and driving ROI. The EXTRA model, though developed for the automotive parts delivery industry, has since been tailored for additional verticals.

Innovative Software Solutions

PROBLEM

Innovative Software Solutions (ISS) provides applications to greenhouse operators. Their clients voiced concerns that they were spending too much time manually planning routes for greenhouse deliveries, and needed a solution to streamline those operations. That system had to seamlessly integrate into existing workflows, as well as the ISS software and applications already in place.

SOLUTION

ADC worked with ISS to build what became TripBuilder, using a map to interactively build efficient routes that take mileage, proximity, truck capacity, delivery dates, and special needs into consideration. Optimal delivery sequence and routing are taken into consideration but with the option, at the user’s discretion, to customize any route to their specific requirements. It integrates fully with the the ISS suite of solutions.

Order processing, route sequence optimization, user interface, and reporting functions are fully configurable. Over time, enhancements such as address-level locations, allowing for drop shipping, and delivery to nationwide delivery vendors such as FedEx or UPS became available to TripBuilder users.

RESULTS

ISS now offers a full suite of software and applications for greenhouse operators. With TripBuilder, users have reported more efficiency in their workflows; delivery time has decreased while customer satisfaction has increased, resulting in a solid return on investment.

Farmer’s Cooperative Corporation in Iowa

PROBLEM

Sales staff at Iowa’s largest local cooperative, Farmer’s Cooperative Corporation (FC), wanted the ability to deliver fertilizer, seed, and pesticides more efficiently to farmers across Iowa. The FC looked to ADC to help them to spatially enable their work order system to improve efficiency.

SOLUTION

From FC’s guidelines, ADC created a browser-based intranet application for managing the geographical features associated with a farm cooperative’s agricultural products and services work order system. The custom application is accessed by over 48 branch offices spread over a 150 square mile area. With the system, work order managers in the company can quickly and easily generate a spatial record of the order details, delivery information, and application areas for their products. The interface also offers driver routing functionality for improved delivery planning and management.

RESULTS

By implementing this GIS-centric order and delivery routing system, the business is now serving its clients in a more efficient manner, eliminating resource consumption, improving time management practices, and cutting costs.

Automated Delivery Zone Mapping and Routings

PROBLEM

Executives at one of the world’s leading distributors of telephone books needed accurate and efficient routes. Some people were not receiving telephone books, while others were getting duplicates. This route inefficiency was costing them time and money.

SOLUTION

ADC developed a customized routing program called Automated Delivery Zone Mapping and Routing (ADZMAR). ADZMAR can efficiently handle project sizes ranging from 1,100 records to over 4 million. Full reporting, including delivery statistics and maps are provided.

RESULTS

Over 100 million telephone books were distributed yearly to homes and businesses throughout the United States and Canada in an efficient, timely manner from the routes created by ADC.

"We have been working with ADC for the past 4 years and have consistently been impressed with the professionalism and dedication to our projects. We frequently have last minute requests and process changes that are thrust upon them and they have always met them head on and helped us meet our deadline. ADC has made a great contribution to the improvement of our process and I have enjoyed working with them every step of the way."

Delivery Validation to Track Delivery Efficiency

PROBLEM

A client that handles over 500 delivery areas throughout the United States and Canada, expressed interest in adding a new form of delivery validation to the ADZMAR suite of programs. A method of validation that displayed the actual deliveries on a map, to track delivery efficiency was needed.

SOLUTION

ADC’s solution was a GPS delivery validation application. With a small hand-held GPS device, each driver is navigated along the most efficient route, is tracked in real-time, and his or her GPS tracks can be viewed historically. Once a route is completed, the client can view the delivery reports, providing the delivery validation.

RESULTS

With this application, the client is able to verify if the deliveries have been made, and identify potential problems long before they are reported to their clients.

Monroe County, WI

PROBLEM

Monroe County, Wisconsin had several departments using a variety of GIS data formats, with multiple copies and datasets stored and maintained by different departments.This made it difficult for county staff to know which data sets were the most current. The County’s IT Department needed a more efficient way to find the current data and files, update them, and then provide to the appropriate person.

SOLUTION

The project consisted of: installing and updating GIS applications on a county server; mosaicing and loading images from the County’s digital orthophotography project; setting up the proper geodatabase schema; loading the county’s parcel data, base planimetric data, rural addressing and related emergency response data, and a variety of land conservation project data.

Also included was the initial setup of users, allowing several levels of data access and editing rights. ADC provided basic maintenance and administration training, database tuning, customized scripts to automate some database administration and backup tasks, assistance with the connection of the server to the County’s network, as well as follow-up troubleshooting and support.

RESULTS

Monroe County now has a centralized and efficient GIS data management system from which all GIS users within the County access and maintain the County’s essential GIS data.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

PROBLEM

The mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Omaha District involves civil, military and environmental projects. Government personnel and contractors involved in the USACE GIS mission are to support and coordinate all automated data activities involving GIS, remote sensing, document management, and analyze spatial data for the USACE user community in developing, testing, implementing, maintaining, and managing different automated data processing applications. The USACE needed additional support and expertise to carry out its mission for the support center in a cost-effective and intelligent manner.

SOLUTION

ADC’s staff is responsible for maintaining the district’s Enterprise GIS through on-site and off-site support, providing expertise in the application of GIS, including but not limited to assisting USACE personnel in deploying and utilizing GIS technology, script writing, analysis and development of applications documentation, creation of maps, reports, tables and summary abstracts.

Duties also include custom programming in both GIS and non-GIS languages, maintaining and expanding GIS systems and interfaces, researching new GIS technology and providing informed, cost-effective recommendations for future migration paths.

RESULTS

With USACE one of ADC’s initial clients, ADC continues to support their GIS Service Center in many different capacities, through consultation that includes reviewing requirements and then assisting in the development of GIS tools applications that will meet their needs.

Nationwide Crop Insurance Provider

PROBLEM

A nationwide provider of crop insurance for farmers and landowners wanted to streamline policy information for their agents, providing them with technology and training to simplify the pricing, execution, and submission of policies to their clients.

SOLUTION

ADC developed and continues to enhance an application extension that integrates digital imagery, public land survey, and USDA FSA data from a geodatabase With the extension, users generate insured fields by digitizing boundaries or importing predefined fields from FSA Common Land Unit layers. Users can then query the company’s database to confirm and apply policy-related properties as new fields are created, assuring the complex nature of ‘‘multiple shares in common ground’ is accurately represented and managed in the geodatabase.

More importantly, the extension provides a series of tools for exporting image snapshots of the insured fields and associated reference layers, organized by geography and policy, which are later integrated into a ‘map book’ with a policy information report, then easily printed and provided to the insured. The printed map books are a critical component of the company’s acreage reporting process, as each farmer and their agent reference the book in deciding and verifying the fields and acreage to be insured for a forthcoming crop cycle.

RESULTS

The ADC solution has resulted in increased data accuracy and productivity for the client’s insurance agents. In particular, the task of reissuing a policy’s “Schedule of Insurance,” required when changes are made to a policy, has been dramatically streamlined, resulting in savings of both staff time and mailing costs. Now, the staff levels necessary to create and maintain the company’s enterprise geodatabase have remained steady, despite the threefold increase in the amount of mapped policy land. ADC is currently assisting the company in implementing a similar toolset, to provide policy-field management at the local agent level.

Milwaukee Public Schools

PROBLEM

With thousands of employees serving students in Wisconsin’s largest city, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) looked to present GIS data - focused map layers and digital cartographic products - in a user-friendly and cost-effective manner to administrators and MPS decision makers.

SOLUTION

With ADC staff support, MPS implemented a more robust and organized GIS solution that consisted of an enterprise geodatabase using a modern server database, and then spatial data services and applications. ADC was heavily involved in the design and implementation of the MPS geodatabase, which allowed the incorporation of a large amount of data residing in non-GIS databases, into GIS presentation and analysis. ADC staff guided the design, installation, and configuration on MPS servers, and trained MPS staff on proper management and administration of the software.

RESULTS

MPS staff are currently using the applications as the central component for a series of internal professional development training sessions on decision-making and GIS.

Nationwide Crop Insurance Provider

PROBLEM

A nationwide provider of crop insurance for farmers and landowners wanted to streamline policy information for their agents, providing them with technology and training to simplify the pricing, execution, and submission of policies to their clients.

SOLUTION

ADC developed and continues to enhance an application extension that integrates digital imagery, public land survey, and USDA FSA data from a geodatabase With the extension, users generate insured fields by digitizing boundaries or importing predefined fields from FSA Common Land Unit layers. Users can then query the company’s database to confirm and apply policy-related properties as new fields are created, assuring the complex nature of ‘‘multiple shares in common ground’ is accurately represented and managed in the geodatabase.

More importantly, the extension provides a series of tools for exporting image snapshots of the insured fields and associated reference layers, organized by geography and policy, which are later integrated into a ‘map book’ with a policy information report, then easily printed and provided to the insured. The printed map books are a critical component of the company’s acreage reporting process, as each farmer and their agent reference the book in deciding and verifying the fields and acreage to be insured for a forthcoming crop cycle.

RESULTS

The ADC solution has resulted in increased data accuracy and productivity for the client’s insurance agents. In particular, the task of reissuing a policy’s “Schedule of Insurance,” required when changes are made to a policy, has been dramatically streamlined, resulting in savings of both staff time and mailing costs. Now, the staff levels necessary to create and maintain the company’s enterprise geodatabase have remained steady, despite the threefold increase in the amount of mapped policy land. ADC is currently assisting the company in implementing a similar toolset, to provide policy-field management at the local agent level.

Farmer’s Cooperative Corporation

PROBLEM

Sales staff at Iowa’s largest local cooperative, Farmer’s Cooperative Corporation (FC), wanted the ability to deliver fertilizer, seed, and pesticides more efficiently to farmers across Iowa. The FC looked to ADC to help them to spatially enable their work order system to improve efficiency.

SOLUTION

From FC’s guidelines, Applied Data Consultants created a browser-based intranet application for managing the geographical features associated with a farm cooperative’s agricultural products and services work order system. The custom application is accessed by over 48 branch offices, spread over a 150 square mile area. With the system, work order managers in the company can quickly and easily generate a spatial record of the order details, delivery information, and application areas for their products. The interface also offers driver routing functionality for improved delivery planning and management.

RESULTS

By implementing this GIS-centric order and delivery routing system, the business is now serving its clients in a more efficient manner, eliminating resource consumption, improving time management practices, and cutting costs.

The Central Platte Natural Resource District

PROBLEM

The Central Platte Natural Resource District (CPNRD) is responsible for managing ground and surface water usage of the two million plus acres of natural resources within the Platte River Basin from Kearney, NE, in the west, to Columbus, NE, in the east. Recently, it was determined that all ground and surface water available for irrigation within their district was being consumed, so a moratorium on new wells and irrigated acres was put in place. In order to continue to allow the landowners within their boundaries to irrigate their land as needed, the CPNRD realized that they needed to develop a system for managing these resources.

SOLUTION

ADC consulted with CPNRD and built Water Right Banking (WBR) as an application extension. At It’s core, WRB is very similar to financial banking. By taking every irrigated acre in the district certified by CPNRD, a baseline of water usage was established. With that baseline not to be exceeded, WRB tracks water usage, then reports and alerts when overages are close to occurring, or have occurred. The extension allows for on-the-fly calculation of water usage for a given field, owner information management, and crop type definition, as well as the tracking of the movement of water rights from field to field. Because of the robust transaction tracking built into the extension, CPNRD staff can query the history of how a water right came to be, or ceased to exist at anytime - now and years into the future.

RESULTS

By utilizing the Water Right Banking extension developed by ADC, the CPNRD is able to accurately and easily manage the ground and surface water resources for the entire district. With over half of the more than 2 million acres within the CPNRD being certified as irrigated agricultural land, the benefit of these resource management efforts will be long lasting and far reaching - allowing future generations to continue to benefit from the natural resources within the Central Platte Natural Resource District.

Real Estate Database, Inc.

PROBLEM

Real Estate Database, Inc. (REDI) provides services such as design, hosting, and administering of custom databases for the use of sharing, marketing, and researching large selections of real estate information. One of REDI’s database subscription services, Appraisal Data Network, Inc. (ADN), provides commercial comparisons for eight counties in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and select areas in adjacent states. REDI needed a web mapping tool that would allow users to search parcels by multiple variables, and then view the properties spatially, including the areas surrounding the searched parcels. Through word of mouth, REDI came to Applied Data Consultants, Inc. (ADC) to develop the new application.

SOLUTION

ADC developed a custom application that gives ADN customers the ability to quickly search for and visualize the location of the properties they want to view. Comparisons between properties now take into consideration the lay of the land where the property is located.

RESULTS

REDI/ADN customers now have the power to add more relevant information to their comparison appraisals than what can be found in a tabular database. The mapping component has allowed the user to incorporate a breadth of spatial data that is very relevant to the values of the parcels. Every appraisal that is performed needs a map for the subject property and all related comparables. By using the mapping service, users have a tool to design maps to accompany their reports.

Retail Market Analysis Application

PROBLEM

Retailers across the nation wanted better tools to determine the best locations to expand their franchises. Existing statistical demographic tools were not adequate to forecast the success or profitability of potential new stores.

SOLUTION

ADC developed a market analysis application to help store chains choose locations. This tool is used to create precise market demographic profiles and accurate sales forecasts for potential store locations. Statistical modeling that uses several components: census data, competitor locations, customer locations, existing franchise locations, existing franchise sales data and other GIS data layers are used in customized models for each retailer. Actual sales data from existing stores with similar demographics are used to predict sales for a new site.

A market optimization routine allows retailers to model the optimal set of stores to fill out a market area while still protecting the sales of existing stores. In addition, users can run their model on existing stores to determine which are underachieving in sales.

RESULTS

ADC’s solution is now used to evaluate the profitability of current and potential store locations for more than ten nationwide clients, including Sears, Trek, Ace Hardware, J Crew, and others.

Jennie-O Turkey Store

PROBLEM

Management at Jennie-O Turkey Store was seeking an efficient and environmentally sound GIS solution to help them manage animal (turkey) waste from their barns and feedlots in Barron, WI, to farm fields in the surrounding 15-county area. Their current system was inefficient and labor-intensive.

SOLUTION

ADC helped Jennie-O Turkey Store implement an application to improve their Soil Enrichment Program (SEP), with the primary goal of managing animal waste going to farm fields to improve both soil quality and crop yields. Compliance with environmental discharge permit laws must also be followed.

SEP staff can now determine how much waste can be applied to a specific field, at what rate, per a number of environmental and legal guidelines, including field slope and proximity to private wells, among other things. ADC also created a geodatabase for Jennie-O, compiling the necessary base map data for the coverage area, as well as digitizing over 3,500 farm field boundaries.

RESULTS

Environmental regulations are consistently met, nutrients are spread on farm fields in an efficient, environmentally sound method, and staff time is reduced by eliminating the need for manual reports and maps.

Barron County Forest and Recreation Department

PROBLEM

The Barron County Forest and Recreation Department had been using an outdated, and soon to be sunsetted system to manage timber sales on county-owned forest land. The county needed a standalone application that could manage the timber sales, receipts, and various reports.

SOLUTION

The county contracted ADC to develop an application and provide both data migration and training. With input and testing from the county, ADC was able to develop a customized robust and full featured, single database application so that multiple users could simultaneously enter/edit timber sales data, accounting for every trackable attribute. Additionally, there is a single administration login for creating reports, invoices, history, and user account management.

RESULTS

The software was installed on several desktops at the department office, with the database residing on a single, networked server. The software enabled county staff to more efficiently manage timber sales within the county, resulting in a streamlined workflow.

Beaver Creek Reserve and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

PROBLEM

Beaver Creek Reserve and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) turned to Applied Data Consultants, Inc’s (ADC) web development team in 2007 to improve their biological mapping web application. Their web site, a biodiversity survey program that allows citizens, school groups, and professionals to enter their wildlife observations into a statewide database in a map-centric interface, was in need of modernization. Functionality, performance, usability, and aesthetic upgrades were deemed necessary to meet the expectations of today’s web map user.

SOLUTION

The ADC-driven upgrade employs a set of open source geospatial technologies to leverage the power of GIS spatial and analytical reasoning in the application workflow. To accomplish the stated objectives, ADC updated both the databases and user-facing interfaces, and then streamlined the data input functionality to make the overall experience much more efficient.

RESULTS

By collecting and recording wildlife observations, nature mappers become more aware of their surroundings, deepen their sense of place, and strengthen their connection to the natural world. The observations are then used for natural resource management, scientific studies and environmental education, and have been included in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan.

"Switching to ADC was a logical choice due to the fact that ADC is a local business with employees who are also passionate about Wisconsin wildlife and able to provide Wisconsin NatureMapping with better tech support and development advice."

Sarah Braun - CSC Director, Beaver Creek Reserve

Business Intelligence and Real Estate Planning

PROBLEM

In the world of retail real estate brokering, both sides spend an inordinate amount of the time trying to identify agent-offered properties that meet the specific needs of the potential corporate buyers. The real estate agents compile volumes of property leads and forward them on, and they then must be sorted, categorized and evaluated, requiring many hours to complete. The alternative is to hurriedly discard submissions and run the risk of neglecting potentially valuable properties.

SOLUTION

ADC collaborated with a business intelligence and real estate planning partner to build a web application that applies custom sales forecasting models to rank property submissions based upon the specific development criteria of retail corporations. The models employ various measures of a property, such as sales potential given surrounding demographic socioeconomic characteristics, proximity to other retailers and relative location to sister stores, to rank property submissions for each corporate retailer.

The web application, which is trademarked and owned by the customer, is a three-tier system. It includes a property submission component to allow agents to geo-locate and submit properties. The model evaluates and ranks each property in light of each client’s development specifications. Corporate acquisition managers are then provided with a leads dashboard and can further investigate properties of their choosing.

RESULTS

ADC programmed the innovative application under an extremely tight deadline, and it’s performing all of the functions that it was designed to perform. The owner of this application recently sold it to one of the largest commercial real estate brokerage firms in the United States.

The Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation (EDC)

PROBLEM

The Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corporation (EDC) recognized that young professionals were leaving Western Wisconsin and heading to larger cities in neighboring states. With the economy dependant on this talent pool of high technology graduates, they were seeking to develop a web portal that reached out to this talent pool to keep them connected to the region.

SOLUTION

The EDC contracted with ADC to build the SMARTT NetworkTM, a web application that connects people to career, technology, and business opportunities in Western Wisconsin. The SMARTT Network (Strategy for Marketing and Recruiting Top Talent) was developed in conjunction with the EDC and funding from the State of Wisconsin. It is based on a fee-for-service model, and requires advanced database features, including e-commerce functions and security, reporting features to clients, integration into CRM software for electronic mailing campaigns, forums, and ability for streaming videos.

The SMARTT Network also provides numerous technologies that are available for licensing, as well as a section for listing/viewing business opportunities, such as franchises and new/next generation ownership. These tools are designed to spur growth of early-stage and existing companies in the region.

RESULTS

Young professionals from throughout the nation were made aware of opportunities in the Eau Claire area and many were drawn back to the region for career opportunities that they were made aware of through the SMARTT application.

"Working with Applied Data Consultants on the SMARTT Network has been a very positive experience. All of the staff were so easy to work with and went out of their way to create a quality website for us. ADC’s service and expertise in developing this complex database-driven site was top notch, and we have been very happy with the results."

The Bloomer Rod and Gun Club

PROBLEM

The Bloomer Rod and Gun Club is a non-profit club managed by a volunteer board. The board members change every two years, and with no permanent central control, it was difficult for the club membership of 600+ to keep informed of events and activities. There was no permanent point of contact for news, events and information, outside of a monthly newsletter that was often incomplete at publication. The one-page newsletter also had limited space available so items such as Range Rules or Calendar of Events were usually omitted or only published once.

SOLUTION

ADC created a website for the Rod and Gun to provide a source of up-to-date information for the members. The focus of the site was to increase the ease with which information is shared - both input and output. ADC provided content management training and still provides site analysis reports to help the club track the value of their pages for the different activities available throughout the year.

RESULTS

Membership participation in club activities has nearly doubled and the website has drawn new members from as far away as adjacent states. Existing members have embraced the availability of newsletters online along with the website as a source of current available volunteer and community involvement projects.

"The new Rod & Gun website designed by Applied Data Consultants has been a tremendous asset to the club in just the short time it has gone live. We have decreased our mailing costs for the monthly newsletter with the online and email options available and at our most recent Outdoor 3D archery shoot we increased participation by 25%."

SOLUTION

A team comprised of infoUSA developers and ADC software engineers designed and implemented a map-based web component that provided graphical, robust methods for searching and selecting sales leads to purchase. The component integrates into infoUSA’s existing commerce site and is comprised of both ADC-hosted and infoUSA-based elements that work in conjunction during execution.

The selection mapping interface allows users to navigate nationwide and drill down as far as street level. Once at the desired scale, predefined geographies, such as Area Codes, ZIP Codes and counties, can be chosen and used to select any leads located within them. The user can then define custom-drawn geographic features, which are then likewise used to select underlying leads.

RESULTS

With an easy to use, visual and flexible method for data selection, infoUSA gained a competitive edge over rivals and enhanced their effort to increase share of the data list market. Further, through ADC’s implementation of open source technologies, infoUSA realized critical savings on software purchase and yearly licensing fees.

"ADC possesses a team of talented, knowledgeable and business focused professionals who have worked with infoUSA group very closely in devising some of our successful online mapping products. It has been a pleasure working with this team and I wish ADC all the success going forward."

Saby Panda - Former VP, Product Integration & Services, infoUSA

The Defense/State Memorandum of Agreement

PROBLEM

The DSMOA (Defense/State Memorandum of Agreement) system is mandated by an Act of Congress, and is a process by which states and the military can coordinate their efforts in the cleanup of wastes created or left behind by military operations. The goal is to protect human health and the environment. Previously, the DSMOA agreements, budget estimates, coordination, approval, and fund distribution processes were done on paper forms. This process was time consuming, involved excessive numbers of personnel, and was prone to problems in communication and coordination.

SOLUTION

ADC created the DSMOA web site to provide a central portal for all communications and education in the DSMOA process. ADC’s role was to create a highly secure module, or modules, that automated the previous paper process. Sources of funding are now pre-matched to military installations, which makes it clear to the users which funding sources are available. The site facilitates communication between any Cooperative Agreement and any military installation.

RESULTS

Customer response (from state and military users) has been positive, primarily in savings of time and work, and in ease of communication. The entire process is “transparent” to all users. Every state can see what other states are doing, and every military branch can see what other branches are doing.

The Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation

PROBLEM

The Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation’s (CCEDC) Accidental Entrepreneur Program (AEP) did not have a GIS map or property inventory system. The AEP identifies talented entrepreneurs that have experienced downsizing due to the recession, then assists them in both identifying the right location for establishing their own business and business plan development.

SOLUTION

Knowing that the best way to reach a wide audience is via the web, the CCEDC worked with ADC staff to design and develop a GIS map and property inventory application, to be embedded within the CCEDC website. An interactive map, with query and selection options, GIS analysis of integrated data, static reference pages and the ability to develop print-ready reports was built. The CCEDC now has an easy-to-use interface that allows viewers to quickly access property information without leaving the CCEDC website. In addition to common data from the US Census Bureau and national marketing data resellers, local data such as industrial parks and TIFF zones is now incorporated.

RESULTS

The CCEDC has an outstanding dual use GIS website that works for site selectors, and also helps with entrepreneurial and business development initiatives. Working with ADC provided the CCEDC a tool for the county that allows this economic region to play a role in the national GIS arena, at an affordable price.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers

PROBLEM

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Omaha District Operations Division needed an easy-to-use tool that allowed access to the geographic data layers through a web browser, rather than expensive licensed software.

SOLUTION

ADC built a powerful web-based application that gives everyone in the Division the ability to leverage the power of GIS through a standard web browser. With powerful analytic tools and a streamlined user interface, the application: offers secure access to GIS data layers, organizes data sets based on business lines or project functions, allows for the import of local user data, exports data to local workstations, spatially queries and analyzes GIS data layers, and provides advanced print capability - all in a customizable user interface.

RESULTS

This new application has created efficiencies for the Omaha EGIS Division, specifically for mission critical COE functions regarding data gathering and analyzing. By not having to pay licensing fees, the COE is realizing substantial cost savings, while expanding accessibility to more users and divisions.

The Ho Chunk Nation

PROBLEM

The Ho Chunk Nation faces the challenge of managing tribal lands within a 15 county area, in central and southwestern Wisconsin, while making informed decisions about new land acquisitions. Managers recognized the difficulties in managing these lands and turned to GIS more than a decade ago in an attempt to better manage their properties. The Nation contacted ADC, as their needs were still unmet.

SOLUTION

ADC developed initial base layers of the public land survey, roads, and helped organize land records from many sources for the 15 counties, that was then projected into a common coordinate system. On-site services provided an opportunity for Ho-Chunk staff to sit with ADC staff, and get hands-on experience in development and management of GIS data, with new systems and procedures.

Since ADC’s involvement, the Nation has seen significant improvements in the storage, maintenance, and retrieval of information. The Nation even developed a GIS department within the Heritage Preservation - Division of Natural Resources, with whom ADC worked.

RESULTS

The Nation is using the GIS system for many of its daily activities and are presently involved in projects that map a myriad of Ho-Chunk interests. Examples of some of the mapping projects include cultural features, wolf territories, comprehensive lands inventory, casino promotional program customer ranges, surface water quality monitoring, Ho-Chunk housing sites, Nation business economic impacts, and business development. The Nation is continuing to expand upon the number of available data layers as the use of the GIS grows, all the while experiencing gains in efficiency.

State of North Dakota

PROBLEM

Officials at the State of North Dakota had multiple railroad centerline datasets that were incomplete, spatially inaccurate, and missing attributes such as names and ownership information. The poor quality of this data made it unusable for important planning and analysis activities. To speed up the ongoing effort to improve the State’s geospatial base data assets, they turned to ADC.

SOLUTION

First, a master railroad centerline dataset was created for the state. Multiple railroad centerline sources were used as a starting point for spatial reference and for attribution. These new centerlines were digitized and adjusted at a scale of 1:4,000 feet. Missing attributes were populated, and any naming conflicts (ie. spelling or different names from different sources) were resolved by further analysis and report generation.

RESULTS

The State of North Dakota now has a complete and spatially accurate railroad centerline dataset. They have since decided to have ADC further refine this data to ensure there is greater detail at intersections, railroad sidings, and in urban areas where higher resolution imagery is available. This data is used for state web mapping applications, for planners and counties, and is accessed by the North Dakota National Guard.

"Applied Data Consultants have been great to work with. They are very responsive to our requests and they get things done when they say they will, or sooner."

Bob Nutsch - GIS Coordinator, State of North Dakota

The United States Army Corps of Engineers

PROBLEM

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was mandated by Congress to identify which properties in the cities of Pierre and Ft. Pierre would be at high risk for flooding due to increasing the standard release rate from the Lake Oahe Dam to generate additional electricity. ADC was called in to conduct data development and modeling to determine the potential urban impact on increasing the flow from the dam.

Using this information, the overall cost to buy out residents was determined by using the land and property values, the cost of impacted utilities, and relocation and demolition costs. The initial study had to be completed within 90 days and required considerable coordination between multiple departments within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the cities of Pierre and Ft. Pierre.

SOLUTION

Neither Pierre nor Ft. Pierre had a GIS system, so existing files were obtained from the cities, local utility companies, county sources, including pertinent relational databases. The parcel, electrical line, gas line, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, sewer outlet, manhole cover, survey marker, and street centerline layers all required conversion to a GIS format, and then reprojecting and georeferencing to generate the base data set for the study. The relevant fields from the relational databases were joined to the spatial data. Numerous discrepancies within the database were investigated and corrected, and then digitized and attributed.

The second phase of the project was the modeling of the 100-year and 500-year flood boundaries based on the projected releases from the dam. Over 20 different scenarios were generated and evaluated. Last, the development of the CEDAR (Cost Estimate for Damage After Release) interface was completed. This interface allowed the user to select a flooding scenario and criteria, as well as the land and utilities coverage for the area, projecting cost estimates for damage.

RESULTS

Through the modeling performed by ADC, properties that would be impacted by the flood were identified and reports generated that indicated land value, relocation and demolition costs. This allowed the government to identify and buy out properties in the impacted area, and allowed additional electricity to be generated for this growing area.

Demographic Marketing Tools via GIS Analysis

PROBLEM

To aid in a marketing campaign, an organization contracted ADC to help map the membership locations for their two health clubs.

SOLUTION

The two clubs had 10,000 members between them, and were 20 minutes apart, with the majority of members living within 10 miles of one of the clubs. Membership points, club centroids, and zip code polygons were geocoded and mapped. Members were mapped on multiple radii, and then by zip code, revealing areas with low membership penetration. In addition to the maps, reports were generated to show the number of members per zone, number of members per zip code polygon, and a list of members greater than 60 miles from the club.

RESULTS

This data helped the client to better spend their marketing dollars by distributing to zip code areas with low membership. By purchasing address data, they mailed materials only where they were needed, which saved money in their tight marketing budget. With an eye on expansion, they used the high density maps to help them determine locations for new clubs.

GIS Expertise Assists in Hurricane Recovery Efforts

PROBLEM

Ruins left in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were unrivaled. Katrina desecrated the Gulf Coast, causing $75 billion in damage to 270 miles of coastline, heading inland as far as 103 miles. When the extent of the Katrina damage became fully known, and the recovery effort became long-term, the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) needed to look outside its ranks for help. ADC was contracted to provide GIS expertise to Task Force Hope in Mississippi and Louisiana beginning in May 2006.

SOLUTION

The USACE and FEMA employed GIS to visualize actual damages by analyzing collected aerial reconnaissance and ground truth data. The mission was in full swing when the first ADC personnel arrived on the Gulf Coast. ADC used GIS applications to better document progress, aid in contracting decisions and help crews locate properties in the field. A series of maps was updated weekly for use at commander briefings and local city council meetings. The contracting office used GIS to determine the volume of debris, and set the contracting costs accordingly.

RESULTS

Using GIS, decision makers could see the spatial extent of the damage; learn who was affected by the disaster, and which resources were affected. They used this data to distribute resources and coordinate with other federal and state agencies and organizations. ADC was honored to be involved in an historic cleanup effort of this magnitude.

PROBLEM

Sarpy County and the cities of Bellevue, Papillion, and LaVista in Nebraska were all in the process of developing GIS data and applications for their own use. Unfortunately, this development was taking place with very little coordination between the municipalities and even between individual departments. Recognizing this, the County wanted to consolidate and coordinate the development efforts and provide a common set of data and applications.

SOLUTION

ADC was contracted to conduct a GIS Needs Assessment for Sarpy County. The scope of the assessment included recommendations for the development of an enterprise GIS system that would integrate the data and applications from the Planning and Permitting Department, the Register of Deeds, the Surveyor’s Office, the Assessor’s Office, Emergency Management, E-911, the Sheriff’s Department, and the Election Office. In-depth interviews were conducted with members from each department as well as with city representatives to assess their current GIS capabilities, and to determine their application and data needs. Existing databases were evaluated to for the best method to link information between departments, and to allow the existing data to be linked to spatial features.

The Omaha Public Power District and the Metropolitan Utilities District were interested in cost and data sharing with the county and were also interviewed to determine their role in the implementation. While this type of intergovernmental cooperation can be difficult to initiate, once in place, it saves time and money for both the city and the county.

RESULTS

The results of the needs assessment were used by the Sarpy County GIS Coalition to help implement a comprehensive County GIS program. The Coalition consists of representatives from Sarpy County, the Cities of Bellevue, Gretna, LaVista, Papillion, and Springfield, and the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resource District, and all members have access to the data and applications, with base portions of the data maintained by Sarpy County. Because of the efficiency gains, the coalition and shared GIS are now a model of GIS-based interlocal cooperation for the State of Nebraska.

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